Second Chances
by SlayerKitty00
Summary: Post LWF, TWT. What if Rory talked Jess into staying? Complete.
1. NO!

A/N: Don't know where the hell this came from. Just something that popped into my head and wouldn't go away. I realize it's been done to death, but let me know if you want me to go further with it. If I get enough feedback, there could be more.

* * *

"No, no, no, no, no!"

"No! Don't say no just to get me to shut up, or go away! Only say it if it's what you really mean."  
  
"...No"

Jess had heard enough. He turned sharply and headed for the door, cursing his stupidity.

"Jess." He didn't acknowledge that he'd even heard her. "Jess! Wait." He paused by the door, her tone allowing some of his previous hope to come crawling back.

She slipped between him and the door, shutting it softly, and meeting his gaze. "Stay."

"I can't. You know I can't." Anguish was written all over his face.

"Sit." Her eyes begged him, and he found himself sitting without realizing how he got there. She stood, wringing her hands together.

"There are a million reasons Jess, that I can't come away with you. I know that you said you loved me..." She began, choosing her words carefully.

"I do." Jess interrupted.

"I'm not sure how I feel about you, mostly because I don't trust you." Jess moved to stand up. She put a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down on the couch. "You left me, _twice, _and I need to know that's not going to happen again."

"It won't, Rory, I swear." Jess was trying to make sense of what she was telling him. Did she want him or not?

"Even if I did trust you enough to run off with you, I wouldn't." She looked at her hands. "I'd be leaving everything I love...my mother, friends, school. I'd end up hating you for making me choose you or them."

"I get it. I'll be on my way then, out of your life for good."

"Jess...I don't want to choose." Rory's tone once again stopped him at the door. "I'm selfish. I want both." He didn't move, afraid that if he did, he would find he had daydreamed her last sentence. She walked over to him for the second time that night, and touched him on the shoulder. He turned around and looked at her, their eyes locked with an intensity he'd only ever felt with her. It used to scare the living hell of him, but now, it was comforting.

"Stay."


	2. The Broken Road

A/N: I asked, and you responded greatly. For what I wrote, I consider the response pretty overwhelming. I know I have unfinished stuff in the works, but I couldn't resist banging out another chapter of this story since it was so in demand. Please let me know if you want me to continue or stop before I ruin Jess completely.

To Sara Jop: Let me know if he goes soft, ok? That deserves a "Dirty!".

To Nyla: Thanks. I think Milo's pretty cute myself.

To smile1: Woohoo! What a compliment. Thanks.

To lorelai halliwell: Well, you're probly right on the Dean thing. I hafta admit, I like Dean, a lot, so me writing this Rory/Jess story is a big deal for me. They're both cute.

To DEAL 4321 ( ): I liked them sometimes, but it would be interesting to have him come back post Raincoats and Recipes to see what he would do with the Rory/Dean thing.

To Veronica: Working on it! Thanks for the feedback.

To sam ( ): Thanks. I'm trying to work on it.

* * *

She was shocked, mostly. There were other feelings there, of course, but shock was the big one. Others included disbelief, contentment, and love. Love. She loved this man, how she'd denied it for so long was a mystery to her. True, he'd left her twice, and broken her heart.

To err is human, to forgive divine.

She smiled, stretching luxuriously as a cat would, nestled in the arms of the man she loved. She looked at his sleeping face, almost unable to believe how the evening had unfolded.

* * *

_"Stay." _

_"Stay?" He asked, searching her face for answers. _

_ "I love you, Jess. I tried not to, because you hurt me so much, but I couldn't stop myself." She was crying a little. He wiped a tear away with his thumb, brushing her cheek lightly and sending shivers down her spine. _

_ "I'm sorry." He apologized, completely grief-stricken over what he'd put her through. For her to tell him that she loved him...God, he hoped he wasn't dreaming. "I'll make it up to you." He gazed at her intently. She shook her head._

_"No." She said, smiling. "Stay. That's enough for me." _

* * *

She still wasn't sure who'd moved first. One moment they'd been standing there, eyes locked on each other, allowing previously hidden portions of their souls to be revealed in nothing but a gaze, and then...

_Contact. _

_Her lips mets his in a kiss that said more than reintroduction. It spoke volumes without words, whispered sweet nothings without sound. She sighed against his mouth. It had been too long. _

_They broke apart, breathing heavily. Jess knew that he'd gotten the reciprocation he'd come after, and this time, he determined, he would not screw it up. This time, he be worthy of the love she offered. This time, he would stay. _

* * *

Her smile broadened as she remembered her frantic phone call to her mother. It was true that she and her mother had a unique relationship, and this night's events topped the cake.

_It was surreal. What had started as a kiss had evolved into so much more, and Rory was amazed that it could be this way. She ended another searing kiss and smiled, her fingers grazing his jaw line. _

_ "I'll be right back." She told him. Coyly, she disappeared into the hall, leaving him to stare after her. He had a pretty good idea where the night was headed, and if he knew her the way he thought he did, then there was only one thing she could be doing at that moment._

_"Mom?"_

_"Rory?"_

_"Where are you?" _

_"Luke's Sister's Wedding. I told you about it, remember?" _

_"Right. Are you having fun?" _

_"Well, Luke can waltz."_

_"Luke can waltz?!"_

_"Luke can waltz."_

_"You say that like you're surprised you still have your clothes on." _

_"Dirty." _

_"Guess who's here."_

_"Um, my mother?" _

_"Wrong."_

_"Come on, give me a hint."_

_"Well, let's see. You're at his mother's wedding with his uncle."_

_"No way."_

_"Yes, way."_

_"No way."_

_"Yes, way."_

_"No-"_

_"What are we, three? He's here." _

_"You say that like you're surprised you still have your clothes on. How do you feel about that?" _

_"I'm a myriad of emotion."_

_"You've got to stop using words I don't understand."_

_"Mom?"_

_"Rory."_

_"This is it."_

_"This is -Oh, Rory...Are you sure?"_

_"Yes, and you asked me to tell you when, and...this is it." _

_"Rory..."_

_"Mom, please don't try to talk me out of it. I love him."_

_"If you're sure, Rory...Then I'm happy for you."_

_"I love you, Mom._

_"I love you too, Babe. Be safe."_

_"We will. Bye, Mom._

_"Bye." _

* * *

Here she was, wrapped in his arms, blissfully existing. She felt his arms tighten around her, and sighing, she drifted off to sleep. 


	3. Epilogue: The Morning After

A/N: This is short and sweet, and the last chapter. Really, it's not even a chapter, it's an epilogue. I had wanted to do more with it, but I realized that I had neither the time nor the inclination to get all extracurricular with it. I also wanted to maintain the style in which it was written and could not see doing so through out what I had planned. I In the interest of not ruining what I written so far, I have decided to stop with this. Enjoy.

To punkcatwitissues: aww, thanks. I have no idea where this story came from, but like all my stories, it bugged me enough that I had to write it down. I'm glad you like it.

To GQ second act: I'm glad you like my Jess. I was really nervous because I've not seen or read a lot of Jess(I'm a latecomer to the fandom, and I generally perfer Dean)so when I decided to write this I had no idea what I was doing. Guess it worked, though. I'm glad that you liked it so much, and that you thought it was beautiful. Your comments made my night.

To not4me: Hey, I'm half lit myself, so if I've managed to hook you, that's a huge compliment. Thanks for reading.

To Sarah: Yeah, I see what you mean about the lack of Jess on the show. I wish I felt like I could do more with this story, but I want to keep it the way it is. Thanks for reading.

To rorynjess4ever: Ah, my very first death threat! I'm honored. Sadly, this is the last of this story. Thanks for reading.

To Spunky Panda: I was worried about staying in character, but everyone seems to think I've done so, which makes me glad. Glad you liked it.

To smile1: Thanks.

To Jesslover: Thanks for reading. Glad you liked it.

To goldengirl736: This is it. Thanks for reading.

* * *

When Rory woke up the next morning with a warm, male body in bed with her, it took her several minutes to realize she wasn't dreaming, and a few more to work up the nerve to open her eyes.

He was staring at her.

She blushed to the roots of her hair, and he smiled a knowing smile, kissing her lightly.

"Hi." She said quietly.

"Hi." He replied in the same tone, not quite believing his eyes. He had almost been afraid to sleep last night, for fear he'd wake and find it all a dream. It wasn't. She was here. Last night had been real. She was embarrassed. Her face was a pretty pink, and he couldn't help thinking that it kinda glowed.

He seemed almost cocky. She eyed him carefully, unsure what to say next. Her heart swelled as they stared at each other, and that's when he said it.

"I love you, Rory." It was muffled, quiet, barely there...but a declaration all the same. It was as if she couldn't breathe. His words had stolen all the air from her lungs when they had met her ears. Her hands touched his face of their own accord.

She kissed him.

He smiled his first real smile in ages.

"Hey, you're smiling." She was playful now that her embarrassment had passed. He immediately stopped, donning his normal, more serious expression. "I like your smile." She watched as it slowly crept back onto his face. "Better."

She was happy, joyful, ecstatic, and about a thousand other synonyms. Jess had stayed, given her the most incredible night of her life, and now...now they would be together. She didn't care how, but they would make it. She wouldn't allow anything else. He would stay.


End file.
